The Maryland House of Delegates declined Friday to vote on a bill that would recognize same-sex marriage in the state, essentially killing the measure.

After more than two hours of debate, members sent the bill back to the House Judiciary Committee for further consideration, said 11 News reporter David Collins, who is in Annapolis for the legislative session.

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Speaker of the House Michael Busch said Friday's developments essentially kill the bill for this year. He cited new members who were unfamiliar with the process as part of the reason it failed.

Collins reported that as many as 30 new members didn't feel comfortable with the idea of not being allowed to discuss or change the bill, and they really wanted to go back and gauge where their constituents are on the issue.

Busch said he expects bill sponsors to craft another piece of legislation about gay marriage for next year's session.

Friday's developments clearly indicated that the House is divided, and the debate got very personal, according to Collins.

Opponent Delegate Emmett Burns, D-Baltimore County, said his life was threatened and supporters of the bill used foul language and racial slurs to intimidate him. He said he took exception to comparisons to the civil rights movement.

"Show me your Birmingham, Alabama, where high pressure water hoses were turned on us -- so powerful that it knocked the bark off trees -- just because we wanted our rights," he said.

"When we as a state or government deny equally protection under the law -- the 14th Amendment -- it's a civil rights issue," argued Delegate Keiffer Mitchell, D-Baltimore.

Others were upset by the failure of the measure to pass.

"I've heard that somehow I am less than natural -- that I am less than human. That I am less than," said Delegate Luke Clippinger, D-Baltimore, who is openly gay.

Collins said it is widely known that there are six openly gay delegates in the House. He said a seventh stood up and outed himself during the debate.

Even so, the votes for passage weren't there. House leaders said, had they acted on the bill, they still would have been a few votes shy of passage.

Gov. Martin O'Malley had said he hoped lawmakers would able to resolve the issue so he could sign the measure into law.

In a statement released Friday afternoon, the governor said, "It is my firm belief that equality under the law means equality for everyone, and our laws should reflect that fundamental principle.

"Together, we’ve worked hard to protect and expand these rights for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered citizens in our state. It was my hope to sign a marriage equality act consistent with these progressive reforms, while protecting religious freedom in our state," O'Malley continued. "We must work together to respect the dignity of every individual. I remain committed to working with all Marylanders to ensure that rights are protected equally for everyone."

Maryland would have become the sixth state to legalize gay marriage if the bill had passed.

The group Equality Maryland, which has pushed for the legislation in the state, said it's disappointed by Friday's outcome but confident that same-sex marriage will win in the future.

"We are thankful that our legislative allies have taken such care with this vote," the group said in a statement. "We commend the thousands of supporters across the state who made calls, sent e-mails and met with their legislators. ... Folks from all over Maryland stood up and told their stories, got involved and built grassroots support to extend the freedom to marry to all loving and committed couples."